A Cellist in Portland
by Foxface9
Summary: Steve doesn't feel right about that cellist in Portland, even if she wasn't his wife, not knowing about Phil's death. So he sets out to find her... or him.


Steve couldn't stand it. He knew that Tony hadn't said that the cellist was in a relationship with Coulson per say, it still bothered him that she'd never know why he didn't arrive. Tony had answered his questions as best he could, but he still didn't have an answer as to who this cellist was or what her relationship was with Coulson exactly. But it still nagged at him. He asked Fury, and he didn't know. He asked Maria, and she didn't know. He asked everyone and anyone and put the word through, but no one seemed to have an answer to the million dollar question. Who is the mystery cellist? Now, he was in Portland, at a bar. He couldn't get drunk, but it served as something to do while he waited until tomorrow when he could fly home. Then he noticed it, a man sitting next to him. He had brown hair in a plaid red shirt and jeans, and appeared quite large in height.

"What's wrong?" Steve asked when he noticed that the man was crying a bit.

"There was this guy and, he said he'd be here but he never came," the man said.

Now, Steve still wasn't used to the gay culture but he would try to comfort as best he could. It was only friendly after all. So he said, "Well, I'm sorry about that. What was his name?"

"Phil," the guy said, sniffling slightly.

"Really?" Steve asked, not thinking anything of it. "What did he do for a living? Maybe work got in the way."

"Unlikely. He's an agent in New York. So he had to take a week off work. I thought that on the first day but, he still never showed," the man said, taking a spiteful sip of his drink.

"New York?" Steve asked, going pale. No, it can't be.

"I don't know what went wrong. He comes- used to," he paused as he corrected himself. "He used to come every month. But this month he didn't. He didn't even call me. I called his number and some woman named Maria answered!"

"D-Did she say anything else to you?" Steve asked, refusing to believe it.

"No, I hang up. I just… couldn't face her," he said.

"So, how did you usually spend the week?" Steve asked.

The man smiled at that. "I always played the cello for him. He always said I was the best."

"R-Really?" Steve asked, fully accepting it now. "Look sir, was this man's name Phil Coulson? Did he work for a corporation called SHIELD?"

The man looked at him now. "He said that was a secret so I couldn't tell anyone. So how do you know?"

Suddenly, a woman with long red hair walked over to the stool. "There you are Monroe. Thanks for looking out for him stranger," she said, pulling out her phone and dialing a number and saying "Hey, Nick? Yea, call Rosalie, I found him," before hanging up. "Come on Monroe, let's get you home."

"No! How do you know Phil?" the man, Monroe, demanded from Steve.

"Monroe, this man doesn't know Phil," the woman said, pulling on Monroe's arm.

"Yes he does Angelina, he said he knew where he worked," Monroe said, not looking away from Steve.

"I do know Phil," Steve said, looking to the woman with a sad face.

"Wait a minute, you're Steve Rogers! Captain America!" Angelina said in realization. "So, Phil was an agent?"

"Yes, and Maria is too. You see, Mr. Monroe, Phil was killed," Steve tried to sugar coat it but failed.

Monroe's face went pale "No…" he mumbled.

"I'm sorry. But, he was killed by Loki. He died a hero," Steve said, a hand on Monroe's back as the man cried. "He… He didn't have any family. So, you could still claim the body if you wish. I'm just, so sorry."

"No no, he can't be," Monroe said, more tears falling as Steve could swear his eyes turned red.

"Monroe, calm down," Angelina said voice as she came in front of him and hugged him, rubbing his back and saying "Shh… it's okay Monroe. It's okay."

"He's dead Angelina. He-He's gone," Monroe choked out.

A man with black hair and blue eyes walked into the bar and over to Angelina, Monroe, and Steve.

"Hey, Monroe," the man said, patting Monroe on the back. "It's okay. Come on and we'll get you home okay?"

Monroe stood up and the man led him away as Angelina stayed and turned around to face Steve.

"Hey thanks. He's going to do better now," she said.

"Yea, no problem. I just didn't feel right about him not knowing," Steve said.

"But, how did you know he was in Portland or who he was? Did Phil tell you?" Angelina asked.

"No, a friend said that he was with a cellist in Portland. So I came here when I wasn't able to find any leads back in New York," Steve said.

"That was the only bit of information you had when you went looking? A cellist in Portland?" she asked.

"Yea, well, knowing that there was someone that loved him that never knew what had happened? It… didn't feel right to me," Steve said.

"Steve Rogers, you are more of a hero than the world will ever know," Angelina said before giving him a peck on the cheek and following the man and Monroe away with a final "Thanks again."


End file.
